Riddle and the Ancient Contract

Chapter 50:Vampire Visit

Students watched wide-eyed and silent as the visitors glided into the castle. The aura of strength and danger that surrounded them made the children and many of the adults shrink back away from them.

The contingent of six vampires stopped just a few paces from the headmaster and his wife. One male vampire bowed slightly. He was tall and slender. Typical English paleness reduced to Vampiric white. His face was narrow with high cheekbones, thin lips and a straight, narrow nose. Dark hair set over a high brow created a vivid contrast to his snow white skin. The vampire lord was aristocratic to a tee. "Lord Slytherin, Lady Slytherin we thank you for the invitation to come and discuss the possibility of our children studying in your school. I am Castille Khadi and this is my Beloved, Samira Azam."

Tom bowed slightly. "Lord Khadi, Lady Azam, welcome to Hogwarts. I am hoping that the accommodations we have arranged are suitable or at least that our efforts are in the right direction."

The Lady Azam was a beauty. Her unnaturally pale skin still held a hint of the bronze she had been born with. Her hair a mane of tawny red/gold that reminded one of the warmth of a merrily dancing fire on a winter's eve. Dark blue eyes swept over the gathering. "They are frightened of us."

Hari shrugged. "Fear of the unknown is not unusual in any race and the British ministry has banned so much knowledge that quite a few beings and practices are currently unknown in this country. That is what we are hoping to correct. Also, you are strong and powerful predators. Fear is a natural response."

Lord Khadi turned his light brown gaze to the witch that had won the current Dark Lord's supposedly missing heart. "Yet I feel no such fear from you. You do not find us frightening, Lady Slytherin?"

Tom tensed as he felt the vampire lord's challenge toward his obviously pregnant wife. Had they been wrong to offer vampires a place here so soon?

Hari responded with a laugh and a releasing of her magical aura. Dark gray power swept out over the hall encompassing them all in its heady feel. They were immersed in near unlimited power. It was thick and heavy; coiled and alert, ready to strike if needed yet not aggressively provoking. The vampires stilled completely as her magic wrapped about them. "You will find, Lord Khadi that I do not find much of anything frightening."

His intense regard remained focused on her for a long moment before he bowed in acknowledgement. "I find myself believing you, Lady Slytherin. I also believe that our children will be quite safe here with you as guardian of their safety."

Hari drew her magic in and shielded it. "Perhaps you would like to see the wing prepared for your race before a tour of the castle."

"We would."

Without a trace of fear at being vulnerable, she turned and slowly headed for the west wing of the castle. She was huge now and had developed that awkward walk that hugely pregnant women developed. Tom moved with her with the same outward fearlessness, but inwardly he was a bit tense at having a group of vampires at their backs.

"We chose the west wing assuming you'd prefer the setting sun rather than the rising or noon day even with the protections you've implemented."

Lady Azam agreed. "The children will indeed be less unsettled if not faced with the sun on waking."

"We are to be partitioned off from the others?" One of the vampires asked a bit belligerently.

"You want your children to sleep in dorms with those that have been raised to fear and despise them?" Tom asked portraying neutral curiosity. At the disgruntled hiss, he stopped and turned. "Revision of beliefs will be long and arduous. Acceptance will not come immediately. There will be tension and fights and insults hurled by both sides. Changing a society is no easy matter, but a stronger more vital society will be our reward. So, yes we have given you dormitories separate from the rest. Your children will mingle during classes, meal times and free time yet will be given security when they sleep. In later years when fear has been dispelled and acceptance has come then they will be dormed with the others. The same is happening with the werewolves."